The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-02-04

Some Observations on the Beauties and RezliSns
OF the Gettysburg Spectacular Panorama.


st. Paul Dispatch: Although hundreds OF
citizens Of st Pnal and strangers visit the
great Gettysburg panorama at the corner
of Sixth and 81. Peter streets every day,
there are thousands more who rave not
yet realized the splendid attractions OF
this matchless spectacular exhibition.
They pass il by as an unexciting sort Of
~show-good, but not exhilarating. On the
contrary there is no theater in all the
country where so exciting a tragedy holds
the boards.
On the wonderful canvas Of the Gettys
burg picture is portrayed one Of the realities
ofhistory. What are sham griefs and
mock tears compared to the reality OF that
fierce onslaught which fixed the nations
destiny, turned the babbling brooks to
blood, and planted the crimson flower of
death broadcast along it's wooded hills!
Ths griefs OF the footlight world are soon
forgotten, but the griefs that sprang to
life from Gettysburg field shall never find
assuagement within thousands of stricken
hearts until the peace OF eternal years en-
! folds them.
The picture represents the decisive ac-
A " M ~ Nh1 ~ wv IL w G3E ~
artists who thoroughly posted themselves
as to the location of troops, the Landscape
and other details OF the fight as il actual
ly took place. By such care they were en-
abled to reproduce the maneuvers OF that
dreadful day, SO, that, looking upon the
work, we can not realize that we are gazing
only upon mechanical effects. The area OF
the picture is 10000 square feet. The
wonderful blending of effects in the fore
ground SO deceiyes the eye that one can
not separate the real from the unreal.
Entering the unique building in which
the painting is on exhibition, through a
dark passage, you grope your way. until
the ascent Of an unlighted stairway ushers
you suddenly into a new region. You have
left the streets OF st. Paul behind you
and penetrated one OF Pennsylvania's
loyeliest valleys. About you lie wooded
hills that belt with livinggreen a stretch Of
fields and meadows. An old rail fence zig
gags across the foreground. The illusion
is perfect as your eve takes in the swarm
ing blue-coats anti the upspringing uni.
forms OF grey confronting them.
Taking your standpoint at the exact
center of the scene OF action, you soon lose
thought of Ill the world but the exciting
sweep Of events about you. The horses
actually seem to be alive; their wild eyes
full OF splendid courage and dauntless de-
sire. Rosa Bonheur never painted q better
scene of animal life in action. Every
muscle stand out like w~hip-cords. Under
a copse TO the south OF g. central stand
point the never. to- be-forgotten charge OF
General Pickett and his desperate men is
in progress charge which proved the
tide-water mark OF the rebellion, from
which ID slowly ebbed to it's close. You
can almost hear the sharp whistle OF bull
let's aud the unceasing roar OF batteries, as
the carnage is at its height. From the
pale lips OF wounded men you seem TO
catch the pitiful cry OF their agony; and
the last shudder which convulsed the
features OF the dead, seems yet to haunt
the air.
All aboutyou look where you will, brave
boys are falling thick as leaves in al au-
tumn storm. Up from the meadows n re-
Enforcement OF gray coats, 1900 strong,
IL trampling the blossoming grasses under
foot. Each man is as thoroughly in ear-
nest as men are sure to be, when some fa-
tai moment ~unlooses the bulldog passions
in their souls. Their iront IS like the crest
OF an angry sea. Takeyour glass andiook
closely at this magnificent, charge. Under
the strongest glass, the most distant hui
man figures mot larger than cockroaches
on the actual ~canvas) stand out clear, dis
tinct, artistic and life-sized, thus vastly
~enlarging the scope OF vision.
Through the very thickest OF the battlea
magnificent horse is flying, riderless. His
gallant master lies somewhere in the red
storm OF death, but he, with head erect
and strained blood shot eye, is seeking
safety, he knows not where. Away from
TIE tangle Of white faces, and pale. OUT
stretched hands; away from the scream OF
bursting shells; away from the wars tur-
MOL to the peace Of the hills, the frighten-
ed horse. they tell us, found his way at
last to safety and an honored old age. The
event was an actual occurrence ofthatday
OF horror.
Perhaps the feature which appeals most
strongly TO the local beholders is the vivid
portrayal of the historic charge of the gal
liant old First Minnesota regiment.
This regiment is truthfully and graphical
" portrayed rushing heorically to the
flaming front, under the leadership OF the
brave Col. Colvill. who was desperately
wounded In this battle, and yet survives,
zen OF Red Wing. The colonel and a large
number OF the men OF the old First" are
painted from photographs. and the like
nesses are readily recognized. The bat
tie flag OF the Twenty eighth Virginia regi-
ment. which led the charge of Pickett's
division, and is correctly painted in it's
place in the picture, lies in the fore.
ground. IL was captured by Marshall
Sherman, OF st. Paul, q member ,of the
First Minnesota, and by him loaned to the
panorama company.
The canvas presents for us but o.s mo-
ment-an eternal momentl--of the struggle
that waged so fiercely for three long sum
mer days. But it strikes that one moment
so sharpely. it holds it forth SO grandly.
and immortalizes it SO completely that, to
see the picture Is TO the thoughtful soul a
full revelation OF q direiul yet glorious
epoch OF history. Never imagine for a sim
gle moment that the Gettysburg pano-
rama win bore You, or that it ranks with
the ordinary panoramic visit to tame
lands and scriptural places. Tnis wonder